This application is based on and claims priority from German patent application No. 197 52 838.4, which is incorporated by reference herein.
The present invention relates to a process for transmitting a telephone number of a desired subscriber from a directory enquiry facility to a terminal, a directory enquiry facility for this purpose, and a terminal for this purpose.
In addition to referring to a telephone directory in hard copy form and more recently in electronic form, the facility of using a telecommunication terminal to access a directory enquiries service is frequently used to find out the telephone number of a party the subscriber wishes to communicate with. In such an enquiry, the enquirer gives the directory enquiries service the name and address of the party they wish to contact, and the directory enquiries service then determines the telephone number and announces it. The enquirer then has to note down the telephone number, and having disconnected from directory enquiries, enter the telephone number in the terminal to telephone the party he wishes to contact. The enquirer can mis-hear the telephone number announced, or note it down wrong, or key it in wrong on the terminal, vitiating the link to the party required, and possibly having to contact directory enquiries again to get the telephone number.
On the subject of traffic telematics, an article appeared in the ELVjournal, issue 3/96 on pages 60–64 entitled “Mobile Assistenten-Fahrerinformation über das Mobilfunknetz” [“Mobile Assistant Driver Information over the Mobile Phone Network”], and page 61 describes an on-board computer with display and terminal capable of providing current traffic information interacting with a D2 mobile telephone network terminal, that also provides an easy means of relaying a breakdown call to a service center. In a way not described in further detail in the article referred to, it is also possible to use this on-board computer to access the address of a possible communication partner including that partner's telephone number from the service center, and to display this information on the on-board computer. The telephone connection can then be made by “simply pressing a button”. The on-board computer cooperates with the mobile telephone unit in a similar way as with a CSTA system (CSTA=Computer Aided Telephony Application), with the functions of the mobile telephone unit being complemented by the functions of the on-board computer in a convenient manner.
A mobile phone is, however, not usually used together with an on-board computer, either because there is none available (the article referred to relates to a major trial) or because the mobile phone is being used away from a vehicle. The above facilities are then no longer available, and the opportunities for error referred to above in hearing the telephone number, noting it down, and entering it into a telephone terminal arise again. Communication with a directory enquiry service when using a land line telephone terminal is similarly inconvenient and prone to error.